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Cooper Elementary School, Johnston County Schools
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Cooper Elementary School is an older school that has been renovated to include a number of modern energy saving techniques. It also has a new classroom addition (Hite Associates, 2000) and a new Media Center (Doggett Architects, 2003).
Address:
849 North Mial Street
Clayton, NC 27520
Johnston County
Click here for detailed contact information
Public elementary school for 400 students.
- Owner: Johnston County
- Occupant: Johnston County
- Use/Occupancy: Educational
- Construction: Varying
- Completed: 2003
- Size: 25K to 100K sq. ft.
Over 10 acres
Site Conditions: Suburban residential, Located near mass transit, Supports use of bicycles, Supports pedestrian use
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Cooper Elementary
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| (Photo: Johnston County Schools) |
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Project Image Gallery
(Click on the thumbnail photo to enlarge and see caption.)
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Green building techniques, strategies, and technologies
(Click on the paperclip to view attached Power Point presentations, documents, and images.)
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Quality management
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Technology |
Description |
Docs |
| 1 |
Lifecycle cost analysis |
Cooper Elementary School was renovated in 1997 with a four-pipe system. The addition in 2000 included ice storage instead of additional chillers. The Media Center addition in 2003 utilizes gas pacs for heating and cooling. |
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Design team integration |
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Water
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Technology |
Description |
Docs |
| 1 |
Low-flow fixtures |
In 1997. Cooper Elementary School installed metering faucets from Moen (www.moen.com). A good explanation of how metering faucets work is found at www.powerscontrols.com/PDF/Prods/BMF.pdf. Johnston County Schools has installed metering faucets throughout the whole school system. |
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Water efficient appliances |
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Water quality grease traps |
In 1997, Cooper Elementary School installed grease traps for its kitchen. A grease trap is most commonly a two-chambered tank positioned along the wastewater drainpipe. Wastewater slows down as it moves through the compartments of the trap, allowing time for less dense material to separate and rise to the liquid surface. Liquid and solid grease, as well as light waste particles, are held in the trap while the wastewater below passes out. Johnston County Schools monitors the grease traps by taking and analyzing samples monthly. Mitchell Concrete installed all of Johnston County Schools’ traps. |
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Energy
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Technology |
Description |
Docs |
| 1 |
Load management software |
In 1992, Johnston County Schools connected some of its facilities to a centralized Energy Management System (EMS) provided and installed by Invensys Building Systems. Cooper utilizes a System 8000 management control. A lot of the energy savings and reduction in “down time” that have been attributed to the Johnston County Schools Facilities Department would not have been possible without the central control and analysis that is provided by their EMS. The EMS allows the facilities department to, at the stroke of a few keys, review the energy consumption of any room in any facility within the Johnston County Schools. Moreover, the system allows the controller to make any adjustments in the AC settings, electric air dampers, or other devices that, if unattended, can run kilowatt usage up unnecessarily. Extensive repair work is avoided due to the system’s ability to catch and fix problems in their infancy or even preemptively. For more information, see www.invensysibs.com. |
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Energy efficient appliances |
Cooper Elementary School uses on-demand water heating systems in its kitchen. On-demand tankless hot water heaters differ from their tank-type cousins in that they have no stored hot water. Tankless water heaters heat the water using gas and only heat water that is actually used reducing energy use that would otherwise be wasted on keeping an entire tank of water hot. |
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On-demand water heating |
Cooper Elementary School uses on-demand water heating systems in its kitchen and laundry room. On-demand tankless hot water heaters differ from their tank-type cousins in that they have no stored hot water. Tankless water heaters heat the water using gas and only heat water that is actually used reducing energy use that would otherwise be wasted on keeping an entire tank of water hot. |
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Ice storage |
Cooper Elementary School uses 4 Calmac Ice Storage tanks to supplement its one 125-ton Trane air-cooled Series R screw chiller that reduce the KW load during the peak electricity demand hours from 10 AM to 2PM. Without the ice system, cooling would require two 125-ton chillers to condition the school. Ice Storage was less than a new chiller in capital cost, and the ice storage system offers a savings for Cooper Elementary School of about $7500.00 per year. |
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HVAC controls staff training |
All new construction and renovation requires training of all HVAC employees during startup operations. |
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HVAC controls management plan |
With the System 8000 management controls, the central computer schedules start/stop operations, duty cycling, set points, and can run diagnostic troubleshooting at the site. It receives alarm information from the plant and can diagnose the problem before a technician goes to the site. |
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Continuous metering |
Cooper Elementary School uses a number of metering schedules to keep a close eye on all of its activities. Water quality grease traps are monitored monthly, electricity use is managed constantly with a centralized Energy Management System, and all other utilities are monitored weekly by reviewing bills and trending the data. |
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Highly efficient lighting system |
In 1997, Cooper Elementary School installed a T-8 lighting system. The T-8 fluorescent lamps reportedly outperform the standard T-12 lamps. According to BC Hydro, they produce more light per watt of energy input - 89 lumens per watt, compared with 79 for 40-watt for T-12 lamps. With the T-8 system Cooper has also employed high frequency electronic ballasts, which eliminate the lamp flicker and hum associated with magnetic ballasts. |
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Indoor environment
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Technology |
Description |
Docs |
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Controlled ventilation for fresh air |
Cooper Elementary School uses electronic air dampers that are controlled by a centralized Energy Management System. The central facilities department can close dampers and shut off outside air to prevent conditioned air loss when a building is unoccupied. For instance, the school can shut the dampers in the morning in order to cool or heat the building more efficiently before students arrive and open the dampers for fresh air when they leave. |
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Good housekeeping protocols |
Cooper Elementary School does “Sparkle Inspections” quarterly. The purpose of the inspections is to ensure no combustible items are being stored in small spaces, to check any under-used spaces like closets, and to review the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) requirements. Asbestos levels are also checked along with general cleanliness. |
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Individual HVAC controls |
Classrooms are served by individual air handlers that have thumbwheel controls. The classrooms are given a range from 68 degrees to 76 degrees F with cooling setpoints at 70 to 76 degrees and heating setpoints at 68 to 72 degrees. The air handlers typically receive chilled water at temperatures ranging from 38 degrees F to 42 degrees F, depending on outdoor temperatures. All of the air handlers are on a four-pipe system. |
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Temperature/humidity monitoring |
Classrooms are served by individual air handlers that have thumbwheel controls. The classrooms are given a range from 68 degrees to 76 degrees F with cooling setpoints at 70 to 76 degrees and heating setpoints at 68 to 72 degrees. The air handlers typically receive chilled water at temperatures ranging from 38 degrees F to 42 degrees F, depending on outdoor temperatures. All of the air handlers are on a four-pipe system. Cooper Elementary School has humidity sensors to control for humidity. |
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Contact Information
| Specialty Contact Information |
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Click on the specialty technology in the table above to see contact and other information |
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| General Project Contact |
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Bill Gilbert
Johnston County Schools
Phone: 919-934-2021
Email: bgilbert@johnston.k12.nc.us
Relationship to the project: Director of Energy Management, Johnston County Schools
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| Project Team |
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Involvement |
Stage |
Name/Address |
Phone |
| 1 |
Owner/developer |
Design/Construction
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JOhnston County Schools
205 N. Front St.
Smithfield,
NC
27577
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919-934-2021 |
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Architect |
Design/Construction
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D. S. Atlantic
NC
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HVAC consultant |
Design
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Trane
8120 Brownleigh Drive
Raleigh,
NC
27615
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919-790-9989 |
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Architect/Designer of classroom addition |
Design/Construction
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Hite Associates
Greenville,
NC
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252-757-0333 |
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Architect/Designer of Media Center |
Design/Construction
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Doggett Architects
6837 Falls of the Neuse Road
Raleigh,
NC
27615
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919-847-2122 |
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